MANILA, March 28 -- The United States has agreed to expedite assistance aimed at beefing up the various capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

US Department of Defense (DOD) Secretary Lloyd Austin III made this pledge following a phone call with Department of National Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. on Wednesday.

"They agreed to bolster bilateral and multilateral cooperation with like-minded partners in the South China Sea and committed to accelerate a number of bilateral initiatives to enhance information-sharing, interoperability, and capability enhancements for the AFP," the DOD statement said.

Both defense chiefs also underscored their countries' shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific grounded i...